After Japan destroyed Qatar 3-0 in Doha, their coach Takeshi Okada fired a warning against complacency ahead of a clash with group rival Australia.
Australia defeated Japan 3-1 at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, though the Japanese got their sweet revenge, on penalties, in the 2007 Asian Cup quarter final in Hanoi, after that game finished 1-1.
The fireworks will certainly be flying in Tokyo, as Japan and Australia battle for pride, bragging rights and a psychological advantage for the winning team, going into the backend of World Cup qualifiers.
"I believe we're improving little by little. But this doesn't guarantee us anything," Okada told the media assembled after their qualifier in Doha.
"We still have a long way to go. As many things can happen in (World Cup) qualifying, I believe we must enhance our accuracy more and more."
The result proves timely for the Japanese, who have looked far from convincing in the qualifying campaign thus far.
The former champions of Asia crawled past Bahrain 3-2 away and succumbed to a disappointing 1-1 home draw with Uzbekistan.
The pressure was mounting on Okada, who had been widely criticised for a lack of creative flair and killer instinct upfront in his team's gameplay.
Had the result gone the other way, it may have increased speculation that his head was set for the chopping block.
"It is somewhat encouraging that the road for the team to go is beginning to be clearly seen," he was quoted as saying in Yomiuri.
Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura said the agility in the team was astonishing in a tribute to former Japan coach Ivica Osim who emphasised constant movement and agility before having to quit his post due to health reasons.
"I think what Mr Osim has done is leading us into the right direction," Nakamura told AFP.
"As a team, we are becoming able to read the flow of the game."
Australia lead Group A with a perfect record, three wins from three games totalling nine points.
Japan is in second place, two points behind the Socceroos while the over-hyped Qatari team find themselves with four points from as many matches.
Bahrain and Uzbekistan both have one point each and are surely fighting it out with Qatar for the third placed playoff spot.
"We want to fight Australia as if we face them in the World Cup finals," added Nakamura, surely a reference to that last gasp Australian win on that memorable night in Kaiserslautern.
The first two teams qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The third placed teams from Group A and Group B then play-off for the right to face the Oceania confederation winner for a place at the World Cup.
2010 World Cup qualfying - Asia Round Four
Group A
P W D L GS GA GD-/+ Pts
Australia 3 3 0 0 6 0 6 9
Japan 3 2 1 0 7 3 4 7
Qatar 4 1 1 2 4 8 -4 4
Bahrain 3 0 1 2 3 5 -2 1
Uzbekistan 3 0 1 2 1 5 -4 1